Rui André, will be running under the Social Democrats banner as they look to end the dominance of the Socialists, who have run the Algarve’s second biggest city since the 1974 revolution.

Rui André ended 26 years of Socialist rule in 2009, but after three terms, can no longer stand for re-election in Monchique.

The local elections are set to take place at the end of September or early October.